Knowledge Futures in ICT and Education

1. Knowledge Futures in ICT and Education Gordon J. Pace

2. Introduction and Disclaimer By now, you’ve heard about the eForesee project from far too many lecturers – I will be presenting the Foresight process adopted, and the results of the process, and will not say anything about the project itself.

3. Overview of the Process Tools Used: • Stakeholder-mapping to include strategic players, a range of experts and other stakeholders. • Local awareness-raising and training events. • Questionnaires • The creation of an Expert Panel responsible for refining the inputs from the consultations. • Identification and analysis of main drivers.

4. Overview of the Process The Outcomes of the Process • Identification of actions lines. • Creation of independent Foresight initiatives. • Creation of the Vision Document. • A second round of consultations with the strategic players. • Implementation of the principal Action Lines.

5. Overview of the process Stakeholder Mapping STEP 1 Stakeholder Pool Expert Panel Strategic Clients Experts Consultations, Interviews, On-line fora, Desk-based research STEP 2 STEP 3 Mapping Alternative Futures Events and On-Line • Possible • Feasible • Preferred • Science & Tech • Economic & Political • Socio-cultural STEP 4 Exploring Scenarios Expert Panel Meetings Facilitated Workshop STEP 5 Feasibility Analysis, SWOTs on Driver, Expert Panel Meetings and WGs STEP 6 STEP 6 Recommendations Action Lines and Reports Editoral Group Meetings STEP 7 Dissemination, Consultation, Implementation, Events, Interviews

6. Overview of the process Stakeholder Mapping STEP 1 Stakeholder Pool Expert Panel Strategic Clients Experts Consultations, Interviews, On-line fora, Desk-based research STEP 2 STEP 3 Mapping Alternative Futures Events and On-Line • Possible • Feasible • Preferred • Science & Tech • Economic & Political • Socio-cultural STEP 4 Exploring Scenarios Expert Panel Meetings Facilitated Workshop STEP 5 Feasibility Analysis, SWOTs on Driver, Expert Panel Meetings and WGs STEP 6 STEP 6 Recommendations Action Lines and Reports Editoral Group Meetings STEP 7 Dissemination, Consultation, Implementation, Events, Interviews

7. Building a List of Stakeholders Stakeholders identified through: • Participants from NSIT • Individuals identified • Respondents to call for interest in local media. • Persons registering on eForesee website • Participants in various awareness raising events And categorised by: • Ability to provide useful input • Ability to influence change • Ability to increase validity of outcome

8. Overview of the process Stakeholder Mapping STEP 1 Stakeholder Pool Expert Panel Strategic Clients Experts Consultations, Interviews, On-line fora, Desk-based research STEP 2 STEP 3 Mapping Alternative Futures Events and On-Line • Possible • Feasible • Preferred • Science & Tech • Economic & Political • Socio-cultural STEP 4 Exploring Scenarios Expert Panel Meetings Facilitated Workshop STEP 5 Feasibility Analysis, SWOTs on Driver, Expert Panel Meetings and WGs STEP 6 STEP 6 Recommendations Action Lines and Reports Editoral Group Meetings STEP 7 Dissemination, Consultation, Implementation, Events, Interviews

9. Mapping of Stakeholders • Awareness-raising events • Questionnaire-based surveys • Co-nomination exercises • Extensive use of various media, in particular the eForesee website • Stakeholder analysis

10. Foresight Training Workshop • Rationale and Approach to Foresight • Using Foresight for National STI Policy-making (the Accession Challenge) • Different kinds of foresight (Technology vs. Social) • Scoping foresight, the process of developing realistic objectives, mission statement • Linkage to STI Policy and key decision-makers • Foresight tools and transfer of hands-on experience • Learning from Relevant Foresight Experiences in the EU particularly those focused on small catch-up economies. • Different approaches for adapting foresight tools. • Making the Most of Foresight Outputs • Designing a Foresight Exercise: From theory to practice

11. Overview of the process Stakeholder Mapping STEP 1 Stakeholder Pool Expert Panel Strategic Clients Experts Consultations, Interviews, On-line fora, Desk-based research STEP 2 STEP 3 Mapping Alternative Futures Events and On-Line • Possible • Feasible • Preferred • Science & Tech • Economic & Political • Socio-cultural STEP 4 Exploring Scenarios Expert Panel Meetings Facilitated Workshop STEP 5 Feasibility Analysis, SWOTs on Driver, Expert Panel Meetings and WGs STEP 6 STEP 6 Recommendations Action Lines and Reports Editoral Group Meetings STEP 7 Dissemination, Consultation, Implementation, Events, Interviews

12. Four Archetypal Scenarios • Business as usual (surprise-free, best guess) • Hard times (major challenges but not catastrophic collapse) • Onwards and upwards (successful mastery of current trends, do better) • Visionary/ paradigm shift (alternative directions).

13. Overview of the process Stakeholder Mapping STEP 1 Stakeholder Pool Expert Panel Strategic Clients Experts Consultations, Interviews, On-line fora, Desk-based research STEP 2 STEP 3 Mapping Alternative Futures Events and On-Line • Possible • Feasible • Preferred • Science & Tech • Economic & Political • Socio-cultural STEP 4 Exploring Scenarios Expert Panel Meetings Facilitated Workshop STEP 5 Feasibility Analysis, SWOTs on Driver, Expert Panel Meetings and WGs STEP 6 STEP 6 Recommendations Action Lines and Reports Editoral Group Meetings STEP 7 Dissemination, Consultation, Implementation, Events, Interviews

14. Contrasting Visions for Malta’s Future in 2020 • Hard Times – Apocalypse Soon! or APOCALYPSO • Onward and Upward Scenario : A Forward-Looking Malta • Paradigm Shift Scenario: Go.Malta.Go (Global Malta/IT-friendly Malta)

15. HARD TIMESApocalyse Soon! or APOCALYPSO • ‘Malta is sidelined - no active participation anywhere in the world. Not forming part of the global knowledge economy • Persistence of the current situation especially the fragmentation in industry, government, organisations • The baggage of a thousand years… • We cannot share and network if we have never been taught to do this. • No teamwork at all levels • We cannot blame youngsters if we do not teach them • Limited space … Feel threatened • No one is doing any sharing • Brain drain • Unutilised capacity of ICT investment and in education • Lack of R&D

16. Onward and Upward Scenario : A Forward-Looking Malta • Malta is competitive, a leader in ICT with good quality of life, cares for the social and economic aspects and encourages the generation and fostering of ideas. • The relationship between academic and industrial spheres is strong • Development of the sectors of research and innovation • There is training at all levels and re-thinking of the educational system • There is a social debate about value of technology and how to use it • More maturity among social partners • Rethinking of political transparency and political system • The infrastructure is improved • Cooperation develops between local companies and clusters develop • The right funding arrangements are available.

17. Paradigm Shift Scenario: Go.Malta.Go • Malta is a showcase to propagate ideas and experiments in education. • Flexible (human resources) • Small is beautiful • Creativity • Community spirit and collaboration • Maximising on Malta’s entrepreneurial heritage • Application of communication/ collaboration skills • Higher levels of technological innovation Infrastructural upgrades • Government as a facilitator – e-government and incentives for investment but largely driven by commerce • Reliant on private sector • ICT catering for needs in business, communication and education • Virtual – high bandwidth in place • Cultural – languages, brokerage skills

18. The Vision: Go.Malta.GoMalta in 2010 – Living in a Knowledge Community • Highly-networked, knowledge-driven community where the knowledge residing in individuals and organizations, is mapped on an ongoing basis, and made available in real-time via the National Knowledge Platform to the community for discussion, analysis and learning. Organisational, sectoral and socio-cultural boundaries are thereby lowered, allowing for strong community dynamics in favour of fast track learning. • Highly innovative product niches created, with ideas and individuals produced through a national applied research center, and supported by a startup fund to enable the exploitation of emerging new ideas.

19. The Vision: Go.Malta.Go Malta in 2010 – Living in a Knowledge Community • Local knowledge strengths in cultural heritage, commerce, crafts, fisheries, education, lifelong learning, creativity, health, diplomacy, the Maltese diaspora, are fully but sustainably exploited using latest developments in science, technology and innovation. • The highly developed ICT and KM infrastructure, the excellent location and facilities for conferencing and research, as well as Malta’s small size make it an ideal testbed for a synergy of innovative eCommunity, eGovernance and eCommerce ventures.

20. The Vision: Go.Malta.Go Malta in 2010 – Living in a Knowledge Community • The ageing population in Europe allows Malta to exploit specialized niche markets in tourism catering for a range of concerns and interests including a secure environment, health, knowledge services especially for persons with special needs, lifelong learning, cultural heritage, required bythe more well-off, mature tourist.

22. Overview of the process Stakeholder Mapping STEP 1 Stakeholder Pool Expert Panel Strategic Clients Experts Consultations, Interviews, On-line fora, Desk-based research STEP 2 STEP 3 Mapping Alternative Futures Events and On-Line • Possible • Feasible • Preferred • Science & Tech • Economic & Political • Socio-cultural STEP 4 Exploring Scenarios Expert Panel Meetings Facilitated Workshop STEP 5 Feasibility Analysis, SWOTs on Driver, Expert Panel Meetings and WGs STEP 6 STEP 6 Recommendations Action Lines and Reports Editoral Group Meetings STEP 7 Dissemination, Consultation, Implementation, Events, Interviews

23. Drivers within Maltese Context

24. Overview of the process Stakeholder Mapping STEP 1 Stakeholder Pool Expert Panel Strategic Clients Experts Consultations, Interviews, On-line fora, Desk-based research STEP 2 STEP 3 Mapping Alternative Futures Events and On-Line • Possible • Feasible • Preferred • Science & Tech • Economic & Political • Socio-cultural STEP 4 Exploring Scenarios Expert Panel Meetings Facilitated Workshop STEP 5 Feasibility Analysis, SWOTs on Driver, Expert Panel Meetings and WGs STEP 6 STEP 6 Recommendations Action Lines and Reports Editoral Group Meetings STEP 7 Dissemination, Consultation, Implementation, Events, Interviews

25. The Vision: A Summary • Exploitation of highly innovative product niches: • Building a highly developed ICT infrastructure; • Malta’s small size: atestbed for innovative eAnything • ICT creating a more secure, better-networked community.

26. The Vision:Malta in 2010: Living in a Knowledge Community Innovative R&D towards a more competitive ICT industry within a highly-networked, knowledge-driven community.

27. University of Malta Pri/Sec ICT education Industry MCAST Diploma Courses

28. University of Malta Applied ResearchCentre Pri/Sec ICT education Industry MCAST Diploma Courses

29. More research oriented education University of Malta Applied ResearchCentre Mobility Programme Pri/Sec ICT education Industry MCAST Diploma Courses

30. More research oriented education Startup fund University of Malta Applied ResearchCentre Mobility Programme Pri/Sec ICT education Industry MCAST Diploma Courses

31. RTDI Programme More research oriented education Startup fund University of Malta Applied ResearchCentre Mobility Programme Pri/Sec ICT education Industry MCAST Diploma Courses

32. RTDI Programme More research oriented education Startup fund University of Malta Applied ResearchCentre Mobility Programme Pri/Sec ICT education Innovative startups MCAST Development Industry Diploma Courses Multi-nationals

33. RTDI Programme More research oriented education Startup fund University of Malta Applied ResearchCentre Mobility Programme Legal, Regulatory & Standards Network Pri/Sec ICT education Innovative startups MCAST Development Industry Diploma Courses Multi-nationals

34. RTDI Programme More research oriented education Startup fund University of Malta eCrime & Security forum Applied ResearchCentre Mobility Programme Legal, Regulatory & Standards Network Pri/Sec ICT education Innovative startups MCAST Development Industry Diploma Courses Multi-nationals

35. RTDI Programme More research oriented education Startup fund University of Malta eCrime & Security forum Applied ResearchCentre Mobility Programme Legal, Regulatory & Standards Network Pri/Sec ICT education Innovative startups MCAST eCareer and eEmployment Network Development Industry Diploma Courses Multi-nationals

36. Other Action Lines • Instilling a Foresight culture: Schools, policy making … • Widening education: e-learning, e-centre for lifelong learning … • Social and community: Culture and ICT, FutureFest-Futurechild …

37. Conclusions • This was the first local Foresight experience • It lacked a clear direction and premeditated structure. • We tried to emulate well-tried approaches which worked well elsewhere, with limited success. • The experience provided invaluable input to the other Foresight exercises. • The output is intended to be seen as a live document, changing and adapting to new circumstances.

38. Conclusions (2) • Lack of relevant statistics and related resources is a major stumbling block for Technology Foresight in Malta. • The tools are useful, the process is invaluable, identifying and motivating the right actors is crucial.